Mesa Air Group Becomes First Scheduled Airline to Launch Drone Delivery Business in the U.S. in Partnership with Flirtey

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PHOENIX, Oct. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mesa Air Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MESA), has signed an agreement with aerospace technology company Flirtey to order 4 delivery drones, with an option to order an additional 500 aircraft. The agreement marks Mesa becoming the first scheduled airline to launch drone delivery in the U.S.

Mesa and Flirtey are initially focusing on the last-mile food delivery industry, enabling Mesa to expand beyond the global airlines market and into the global food service market. The immediate goal of the partnership is to conduct commercial drone deliveries in the last-mile food and beverage market in the U.S. The parties plan to expand the drone delivery service in the U.S. and New Zealand.

With this agreement, Flirtey, the aircraft designer and manufacturer, is supplying it’s best-in-class technology including the Flirtey Eagle, an electric powered, advanced drone that conducts precision delivery to homes and businesses, and Flirtey's autonomous software platform that conducts autonomous flight operations, for Mesa to operate commercial drone delivery.

The partnership will prioritize operational excellence and data collection, enabling rapid expansion with Mesa’s operational experience as a leading regional air carrier with approximately 450 daily departures across the U.S. and Flirtey’s technical experience having conducted over 6,000 drone delivery flights in the U.S. with its technology protected by over 1,000 patents claims issued and pending in the U.S. and worldwide. Flirtey recently expanded production of delivery drones to meet growing demand. Flirtey’s aircraft are made in USA.

“Mesa is excited to partner with Flirtey to become the first scheduled airline to launch drone delivery in the U.S. Drone delivery is a huge market and it’s here now. This is the future of small package last mile delivery,” said Mesa Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein.

“Flirtey is excited to partner with Mesa to operationalize our best-in-class drone delivery aircraft and autonomous software platform. With Mesa’s operational excellence, we look forward to rapidly expanding drone delivery focusing on the trillion dollar last-mile food delivery market,” said Flirtey Founder and CEO Matthew Sweeny.

About Mesa Air Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Mesa Air Group, Inc. is the holding company of Mesa Airlines, a regional air carrier providing scheduled passenger service to 114 cities in 39 states, the District of Columbia, the Bahamas, Canada, and Mexico as well as cargo services out of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. As of January 31st, 2021, Mesa operated a fleet of 160 aircraft with approximately 393 daily departures and 3,700 employees. Mesa operates all of its flights as either American Eagle, United Express, or DHL Express flights pursuant to the terms of capacity purchase agreements entered into with American Airlines, Inc., United Airlines, Inc., and DHL.

About Flirtey
Flirtey is an aerospace technology company and U.S. drone delivery manufacturer that sells full-stack drone delivery hardware and software systems. Flirtey is the pioneer of the commercial drone delivery industry, with a mission to save lives and improve lifestyles by making delivery instant for everyone. The company first made history in 2015 when it conducted the first ever FAA-approved drone delivery. In the years that followed, Flirtey has gone on to become the first company to perform an autonomous drone delivery to a home, the first company to perform a commercial drone delivery, and the first company to pioneer AED drone delivery in the U.S. Flirtey has worked alongside NASA, the City of Reno, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, emergency medical services provider REMSA, and various commercial partners to create the best-in-class drone delivery system for last-mile delivery. Learn more at www.flirtey.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” “approximate” or “plan,” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, involve estimates, projections, goals, forecasts and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. For more information on risk factors for Mesa Air Group, Inc.’s business, please refer to the periodic reports the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Many of the risks identified in the periodic reports have been and will continue to be heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse effects arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. These forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as predictions of future events. Mesa Air Group, Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, to reflect any change in Mesa Air Group, Inc.’s expectations with regard thereto, or any other change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:

Mesa:
media@mesa-air.com 

Flirtey:
media@flirtey.com